Self-contained water cooler of the bubbler type



Dec. 23, 1958 w. R. SCHULTZ 2,855,182

SELF-CONTAINED WATER'CQOLER OF THE BUBBLER TYPE I Filed Sept. 21, 1956 3Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

Dec. 23, 1958 w. R; SCHULTZ 2,865,182 r SELF-CONTAINED WATER COOLER OFTHE BUBBLER TYPE- Filed Sept. 21, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lll L a I 22Dec. 23, 1958 w. R. SCHULTZ 2,865,182 SELF-CONTAINED WATER COOLER OF THE"BUBBLER TYPE Filed Sept. 21, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States PatentSELF-CONTAINED WATER COOLER OF THE BUBBLER TYPE This invention relatesto improvements in self-contained cabinet water coolers of the bubblertype.

Such coolers comprise mechanical cooling means and nozzle means, usuallyvalve controlled, for projecting a stream of cooled water from which theuser can drink while the waste water falls into a receptor basin and isconducted to a drain conduit. A cabinet structure is provided to supportand house the mechanical cooling means and. the other working parts ofthe cooler. Commonly the cooling means comprises a refrigerant-expandingcooling unit housed in the upper part of the cabinet, a motor drivenrefrigerant compressor usually housed in the lower part of the cabinet,and a refrigerant con-denser operatively connected between thecompressor and the evaporative cooler. The evaporative cooling unit hasits water inlet connected to a water supply system and its water outletconnected to the bubbler nozzle. To permit the necessary servicing ofthe mechanical parts of the apparatus it is important that they bereadily accessible.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a cabinetstructure for such coolers comprising a floorsupported frame structureadapted to support the motor driven compressor, the condenser, and therefrigerant evaporative cooling unit and an improved form of cabinetwall structure adapted to be quickly and easily completely removed fromthe frame structure so as to fully expose the apparatus normallyenclosed by the cabinet.

A further and more or less ancillary object of the invention is toprovide anovel form of cabinet wall structure comprising a top wallcarrying a receptor basin and a bubbler nozzle and readily separablewater conduit means for .supplying the cooled water'to the nozzle andreadily separable drain conduit means, whereby the entire wall structuremay be separated from the cabinetframe and the apparatus supportedon it.

Another object of the invention is to provide a'selfcontained watercooler of the character indicated and realizing the objects alreadynoted which is also well adapted for the use of a static type ofrefrigerant condenser. I 7, i

A further-object of the invention is to provide an improved wallstructure and Water supply and discharge structures'designed innovelmanner to facilitate fabrication and assemblyof the-variousstructural parts.

Further objects of the inventionwillbe apparent from the followingdescription of its preferred embodiment 'sho'wnin theaccompanyingdrawings.

The invention consists in certain forms, arrangements and combinationsof parts which will be hereinafter parti'cul'aily 'set forth and claimedwith reference'to the preferred embodiment illustrated. Q

d .In the drawings, d a I Fig. l is atper'spective view of the watercooler embodying the invention. I

'Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cabinet wall structureof the watercooler shown in Fig. l as the structure appears when separated from thecabinet frame.

Fig. 3 is' a perspective view on asoinewhat larger scale Patented Dec.23, 1958 of the cabinet frame structure and some of the apparatusmounted thereon.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the water cooler.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the upper part of the watercooler, the section being taken on the line 5-5.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are, respectively, enlarged left side elevation, rearelevation and plan view of the cabinet frame structure of the watercooler.

In describing the apparatus disclosed in the drawings reference willfirst be had to the cabinet structure of the cooler which comprises aframe structure and a separately formed and detachable wall structure.

Of the frame structure shown in Figs. 3, 6, 7 and 8, the numeral 1designates as an entirety a rectangular base structure having a rearside 2, right and left sides 3, 3 and a front side 4. The sides 3 areformed with bottom flanges 3a, 3a, designed to rest on a floor supportand the front side 4 is similarly formed with a bottom flange 4a andalso with a top flange 4b. The base structure comprises upright metalangles 5 to which the ends of the side and front parts of the base arewelded, the metal angles being somewhat higher than the sides of thebase. To the rear corners of the base structure are Welded uprightchannel posts 6, 6 the channels of these members being disposed so thattheir re-entrant sides face each other (Fig. 8). To the front sides ofthe front corner angles 5, 5 are welded front angle posts 7, '7 of thesame height as the rear posts 6, 6.

The upper ends of the posts 6, 6 and '7, 7 are rigidly connectedtogether by a sheet metal box structure comprising a front wall 8, arear wall 9, side walls 10, 10, and a bottom wall 11. This box structureis designed to house the evaporative cooling unit of the apparatus andto receive around the unit suitable insulating material, such as glasswool or the like. The top of the box structure is provided with a coverplate 12 which is secured to the flanged tops of the side walls of thebox structure by means of a plurality of retaining clips 12a, 12a (Fig.3). At a level somewhat below the box structure the rear side of theframe is provided With a transverse brace and support member 13.

The above describe-d frame structure is designed to support the variousWorking parts of the water cooling apparatus which for the most part maybe of conventional construction and which comprise a motor drivencompressor 14 of the hermetically enclosed type, a condenser 15 of thestatic type which, consists of a tube bent to form a series of loopswhich extend horizontally back and forth and a large number of verticalsurface-developing fins or slender rods welded to the loops of thecondenser tube, and further comprise an evaporative cooling unit 16which, as shown in Fig. 3, is of the helical coil type of constructionin which a water coil and a refrigerant coil are wound in parallel andin heat transfer engagement with each other.

As is usual in such systems the compressor, condenser andthe refrigerantcoil of the cooling unit are connected in a closed circuit, thedischarge opening of the compressor being connected by a conduit 17 tothe top inlet of the condenser, the bottom of the condenser beingconnected by capillary tube 18 to the inlet end of the refrigerant coilof the cooling unit while a conduit 19 conneets the discharge end of the"refrigerant coil of the cooling unit to the suction inlet of thecompressor. The bottom wall 11 of the insulation box is suitablyapertured to accommodate tube 1 8 and conduit 19.

The compressor motor is provided with conventional automatic switchmeans (not shown) actuated by a thermostat associated with the coolingunit 16 so that the compressor operates to maintain the cooled water'ata desired temperature.

A water conduit 20, which is connected to the inlet end of the watercoil of the cooling unit 16, is provided with a pipe fitting 21 whichcan be connected with any suitable source of drinking water underpressure and is secured to the rear wall 9 of the frame structure.

The cooling unit 16 has an outlet conduit 22 provided with a fitting 23to which is welded an angle-shaped supporting bracket 24 adapted to besecured by one or more screws 25 to the upper part of the insulation boxof the frame structure (Fig. 5).

Referring now to the wall structure of the cooler cabinet, saidstructure comprises a sheet metal Wrap-around element 26 forming thecabinet front wall 26a and two side walls 26b, 261:, each side wallbeing formed with louvers 26b for circulation of air through thecabinet. The two sides 26b of the wrap-around wall element are formednear the bottom of the element with two holes located to register withscrew holes drilled and tapped in the frame posts 5 and 6 to receivesecuring screws 26c, 26c (Figs. 1, 2, 3). Each of the posts 6 is formedwith a stop lug 6a to be contacted by the lower edges of side walls 26band support the element 26 with its screw holes in register with thetapped holes in posts 5 and 6.

The cabinet wall structure further comprises a dieformed sheet metal topwall 27 which has a depending skirt that fits around and is Welded tothe upper edges of the front and side walls ofthe wrap-around element26. The top wall 27 is formed at its front side with an elongatedrectangular aperture to receive a sheet metal receptor basin 23 formedat its edges with a plurality of depending ears 28a which pass throughstraight slots in the top wall 27 and are then twisted, as shown in Fig.5, to secure the basin to the top wall 27.

Vertically above the pipe fitting 23 the receptor basin 28 is aperturedto accommodate a valve-controlled water nozzle fitting 29 and itsconnections. The fitting 29 comprises a nozzle proper 29a, sanitaryguard 29b and a valveactuating plunger 29c. The inlet opening in thebottom of the fitting 29 is formed with female tapered threads for thepermanent attachment of a tubular nipple 30. The nipple has its lowerend formed to telescopically fit the bore of fitting '23 and near itslower end is grooved to receive an O-ring packing 31. The nipple 30 isalso formed with straight threads 30a to engage mating threads in theupper part of the bore of fitting 23. A spacer sleeve 32, which maysuitably be made of one of the solid plastics, is interposed between thetop of fitting 23 and the bottom of nozzle fitting 29.

It will be seen that in the construction last described the O-ring 31provides a fluid tight connection between the cooled-water fitting 23and the nozzle fitting 29 which can readily be separated by turning thefitting 29 until the straight thread connection between nipple 30 andfitting 23 is broken, whereupon the nozzle fitting and nipple can bewithdrawn from the fitting 23. And obviously the reassembling of theparts can be effected with similar case.

The basin 28 is covered by an anti-splash grid 33 which can suitably beformed of molded plastic material. The rectangular frame of this grid isflanged to fit around the edge of the receptor 28 and is suitablysecured in position by a plurality of screws as indicated in Figs. 4 and5.

An elbow-shaped drain pipe 34 has its short upright leg attached to thedrain outlet of the receptor basin 28 preferably by a spinning operationto form a strong joint which is made water tight by a soft solderingoperation. To the rear end of the longer horizontal leg of the drainpipe 34 is hard-soldered a pipe fitting 35 formed with external straightthreads adapted to receive a coupling nut. An attachment plate 36 ishard-soldered to fitting 35 and this plate is secured by screws 37 to adepending apron 38 welded to the rear flange part of top wall 27 (Figs.4 and 5).

-An elbow drain tube 39 flanged at its upper end to engage the exposedend of drain fitting 35 is secured to the latter by a coupling nut 40.As shown in Fig.1 the el w 39 has a short horizontal leg and anelongated depending leg, the lower end of which is adapted totelescopically engage the inlet end of a conventional plumbing trap 41,which may be fitted with a suitable packing nut 42. The drain tube 39can readily be separated from the trap by upward movement withoutdisconnecting the trap from the plumbing conduit with which it isconnected.

Reference is now made to the manner in which the previously describedcondenser 15 is arranged and supported in the cabinet structure of thecooler. As shown in Fig. 3 the condenser extends across the back of thecabinet between the oppositely facing channels formed by the rear posts6, 6 of the cabinet frame structure, the position of the condenser beingalso indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 7 and 8. To support thecondenser in the position indicated a bracket 43 is welded to the rearwall 9 of the insulation box of the cabinet and to this bracket iswelded a threaded stud 44 (Fig. 7) against which the upper end of thecondenser is clamped by suitable nut and washer means, as indicated inFigs. 1 and 3. In addition a threaded stud 45 is welded to thetransverse frame brace 13 and, in conjunction with suitable nut andwasher m ans, serves to clamp the lower portion of the condenser in theposition indicated.

It will be seen that with the condenser mounted in the manner describedthe channel posts 6, 6 serve to protect the condenser and in additionform in conjunction with the rear wall 9 of the insulation box of thecabinet, a sort of stack which induces an upward circulation of air overthe surfaces of the heated condenser.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that all of the watercooling apparatus is mounted on the unitary frame structure (as shown inFig. 3) and that the entire unitary cabinet wall structure, consistingof the front wall, two side walls and the top wall (Fig. 2) can beremoved from the frame as a unit in a manner to make all parts of thecooling apparatus fully accessible for inspection, repairs or otherservicing. To accomplish such removal of the wall structure of thecabinet it is only necessary to remove the four securing screws 26cwhich connect the lower sides of the wall structure to the framestructure of the cabinet and to turn the valve fitting 29 until thethreads of the nipple 30 are disengaged from the threads of the cooledwater pipe fitting 23. Thereupon the entire side and top wall structure,together with the grid 33, basin 28 and drain pipes 34 and 39, may belifted vertically as a unit from the frame structure of the cabinet,this relative movement of the parts being permitted by the previouslydescribed telescoping engagement of the nipple 30 with the fitting 23and by a similar engagement of the elbow drain fitting 39 with the draintrap 41. The advantages of the present construction will be apparent tothose who are familiar with the prior practice of constructing suchcooler cabinets with a removable side panel, a practice which affordsonly limited accessibility for inspection, repair and servicing of theenclosed apparatus.

It will be apparent that when the unitary wall structure has beenseparated from the frame structure as above described not only is theapparatus below the cooler insulation box fully exposed, but by removingthe cover 12 of the insulation box, all apparatus therein is madeaccessible.

The replacement of the wall structure of the cabinet followinginspection or servicing, obviously can be effected quickly and easily.

The herein disclosed construction has certain further advantages inconnection with the original fabrication of the cooler. Thus thesubassembly consisting of receptor basin 28, the elbow drain pipe 34,its threaded fitting 35 and attachment plate 36, are of such a naturethat it can readily be handled in the course of fabrication as a unitand can then be easily attached to the top wall of the cabinet by meansof the securing screws 37 and ears 28a. Also, in case of needed repairof any ofthe parts of the basin-drain pipe subassembly, the simplemanuallyactuated securing means (ears 28a and screws 3'!) permit easydetachment of the subassembly from the top wall 27 so that needed repairof any of its parts is facilitated.

y when the drain pipe and cabinet wall structure are raised It will beappreciated also that the disclosed construction lends itself well tothe use of the static tyne condenser since the condenser can be made ofnearly the full height of the cabinet so as to attain desired condensercapacity. This result is also facilitated by the advantageouscirculation of air over the condenser which has already been referredto.

While the various features of construction shown and described hereinare such as are preferred it wi l be understood that the invention isnot limited to the disclosed construction except as indicated in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a self-contained cabinet water cooler of the bubbler type, thecombination of a cabinet structure adapted to support and enclosemechanical means for cooling water to be dispensed, the said structurecomprising an upright floor-supported frame, an outer wraparound lateralwall element formed to cover the front and two sides of the frame and arectangular top wall structure connected to the top of the wrap-aroundelement and comprising a water receptor basin with a discharge outlet; acooled water bubbler nozzle mounted on the upper side of the cabinet topwall; liquid tight cooled water conduit means adapted to connect thebubbler nozzle to the water discharge of a refrigerantevaporating coolermounted in the cabinet, the said conduit comprising a pair of mutuallytelescoping elements one of which is rigidly connected to the bubblernozzle and the other of which is supported by the cabinet frame so as topermit the two elements to be separated by upward movement of thecabinet wall structure relative to the cabinet frame; a waste waterdrain conduit for the receptor basin extending rearwardly from theoutlet of the basin to the rear side of the cabinet top wall; and avertically disposed drain pipe separably coupled at its upper end to thedrain conduit and having a straight lower end adapted to telescopicallyengage the upright leg of a drain trap and to separate therefrom inrelation to the cabinet frame.

2. A water cooler as claimed in claim 1 in which the water conduitconnecting the bubbler nozzle and the evaporative water cooler comprisesan O-ring packing operatively interposed between the telescopingelements to render the conduit water-tight.

3. In a cabinet water cooler of the bubbler type, the combination of acabinet top wall element formed with an opening to receive a receptorbasin; a basin formed to fit the said top opening and having a bottomoutlet opening; a bent drain tube having an upright leg connected to thebasin outlet opening and a horizontal leg extending to one of the sidesof the cabinet top wall element; a threaded coupling element permanentlyconnected to the end of the horizontal leg of the drain tube; and meansfor detachably securing the coupling element to a peripheral part of thecabinet top wall element.

4. In a self-contained cabinet water cooler, the combination of acabinet structure comprising a floor-supported frame having channelshaped rear posts arranged with their channel recesses facing each otherand a wall structure extending across the front and two opposite sidesof the frame structure; an insulation box structure with upright sidewalls supported in the upper part of the frame structure for holding arefrigerant-expanding cooling unit; refrigerant compressing meanssupported in the cabinet below the insulation box; and a refrigerantcondenser comprising a refrigerant conduit looped back .and forth in asingle plane to form a fiat structure disposed between the chanuel postsand extending from the lower part to the upper part of the cabinet andadjacent to the rear wall of the insulation box, the cabinet structure,channel frame posts and the box serving cooperatively to inducecirculation of air upward over the condenser when the latter is heatedin operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,051,874 Macready et a1. Aug. 25, 1936 2,311,540 Hastings Feb. 16, 19432,509,294 Fruen May 30, 1950 2,620,170 Brickman Dec. 2, 1952

